Whole Roasted Garlic with French Bread

Whole roasted garlic has a deceptively sweet and slightly nutty flavor. — not strong and pungent as you might expect. Roasted garlic is an easy, inexpensive appetizer for Christmas gatherings. Garlic becomes very soft after roasting and makes an addictive spread for French bread. You’ll need napkins for this mouth-watering appetizer. It’s messy, but it’s good and surprisingly easy to make.

Whole Roasted Garlic with French Bread

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Yield: 12 servings

4 whole heads garlic, loose outer skin removed

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt, to taste

French bread, sliced into rounds

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off about a quarter-inch from the pointy end of each head of garlic. The cloves should be exposed. Place cut-side up in a small, oven-proof pan so that the garlic heads fit without too much spare room. (A metal pie plate works well). Drizzle the tops with olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Cover the garlic and pan tightly with aluminum foil. Roast for 1 hour.

Remove the foil, let cool briefly, and serve warm. Place the garlic heads on a decorative platter surrounded by sliced French bread.

Have your guests squeeze the garlic out of its jacket right onto a piece of bread. Make sure to set out a small bowl to collect the garlic skins.